Combination capped comb and applicator tube



May 19, 1959 R. R. ROSHOLT COMBINATION CAPPED COMB AND APPLICATOR TUBEFiled Oct. 26, 1956 INVENTOR.

Pa VMDND E! Pas/104.1- BY M11, MQO'LM U it a e a -e COMBINATION CAPPEDCOMB AND APPLICATOR TUBE This invention relates to a combination cappedcomb and applicator tube.

More particularly stated, the invention relates to the provision of acomb-like end of a tubular package providingre silient comb teeth shapedto provide both scraper and rounded applicator surfaces.

-An object of my invention is to provide a tubular package for asemi-soft, but form sustaining material in which the materialmaybeadvanced toward an end of the tube which may be used as anapplicator, especially adapted to apply the material to surfaces overwhich the end of the tube may be advanced in selected positions andattitudes whereby to accomplish alternatively scraping or massagingaction. Furthermore, I have made it possible to use the specialconfigurations of the applicator end of thetube to cooperate with a capclosure which will fully enclose comb-like portions of the applicatorend of the tube and, by using the springy characteristics of the combteeth, to hold the cap in a tightly closed relationship about thecomb,the teeth, and about the slots between the comb teeth.

0 In the drawings: r

Fig. l isa perspective of my new device, the cap or cover being shown inliftedand tilted relationship to the annular comb-like end of thepackage.

Fig. 2iis a side elevation of my device with the cap in closed position,most of the tube and part of the cap being broken away to show the partsin vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of the upper portion ofthe tube with the cap in an intermediate position as it is being appliedto the tube.

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic view in section of the applicator endof my device in position for treatment of the scalp of a user, the hairand scalp of the user being shown somewhat diagrammatically in verticalsection.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the applicator end of mytubular comb-like device tilted in a scraping operation or applicatoroperation depending upon the direction of movement.

It has been common heretofore to provide a tubular container or packagewherein as shown in the lower portions of Fig. 2, a tubular containerhas a slightly inturned lower flange 11, but the lower end of the tubeis otherwise completely open. A slidable bottom wall 12 has upturnedflanges 1314 closely fitted to the interior surfaces of the tube 10.Within the tube, any one of a large number of semi-soft contents 15 maybe stored in readiness for use and may be extruded from the top of thetube when the user pushes upwardly upon the slidable bottom member 12.It is to such an environment that my invention is principallyintroduced, since it is with respect to the upper end of the tube 10 andthe provision of a special cap for such a tube that my inventionrelates.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, I provide longitudinal Slots 16extending downwardly from the top margin 17 ice of the tube. These slotsare of suflicient length to pro:

vide comb teeth 18 between the slots and to permit of springy inwarddeflection of the teeth 18 for reasons which will be described below.

The material of which the tube 10 is made may be of many diiferentselected substances, but I prefer metals or plastics which have someresilience as will be apparent from the following description andincluding the resilient characteristic referred to above. At the upperend of the tube which I will denominate the applicator end, I provide inthe configuration of the extremities of the teeth 18 a bead 20 which isdiscontinuous because of the slots 16. and cylindrical with the resultthat the applicator end of the tube and the extremities of thecomb-liketeeth have rounded outer surfaces merging toward scraper.

margins at the line where the rounded surfaces meet the interiorcylindrical surfaces referred to.

Approximately at the lower ends of the slots 16 be-.

same, but need not be accurately so, as will be under-.

stood from the description below. p

A cap 25 includes a side wall 26 and atop wall 27 exteriorly shaped inany suitable manner but providing interiorly adjacent the top wall 27 agroove 28; The configuration of the groove 28 is such as to provide acam surface 29, so disposed as to bear on the under surface of bead 20when the cap is in closed position upon the applicator end of tube 10.The length of the side walls 26 in a direction longitudinal of the tube10 are such that lower margin 20 of the cap side wall is brought to bearagainst cap abutment head 21 snugly when the cam action between head 20and the shoulder at 29 causes the cap to bear downwardly under the. re-

' silient reaction ofthe comb teeth.

As shown in Fig. 3, each of the comb teeth 18 springs inwardly of thetube as the cap is thrust downwardly upon the applicator end, since theinner surface 31 of the walls of the cap 25 bear upon the rounded outersurfaces of the comb teeth. Then as the cap is thrust still fartherdownwardly to position the cap shown in Fig. 2, the resilient teethforce the bead surfaces of the bead 20 into the groove 28 for the camaction against shoulder 29. Thus the cap is held firmly against capabutment head 21.

p A tab 35 is provided upon the outer surface of wall 26 of the cap 25so as to facilitate the removal of the cap. An initial upward movementupon the tab to institute a releasing cam action by forcing some of theimmediately adjacent comb teeth inwardly provides for ready release ofthe cap as will be clearly understood.

The massaging and scraping alternative actions of the applicator end ofthe tube with respect to scalp surface 36 and hair 37 will now bereadily perceptible if the applicator end of the tube with the capremoved is applied to the scalp 36 as shown in Fig. 4. The movement ofthe tube in the direction indicated by the arrow will cause the roundedsurfaces 20 of certain of the teeth to massage the surface of the scalp,whereas the scraper shaped portions of the teeth involving the margins17 will accumulate a certain amount of the material 15 as shown at 15which is removed from the scalp. At the same time material 15 which hasbeen advanced in the tube to the degree desired by the user may berubbing upon the hair 37 in such a manner that the comb teeth will applythe Patented May 19, 1959 Interiorly, the walls of the tube are straightmaterial 15 not only to the surface of the hair, but also will work itdown toward the scalp.

If the user wishes only to scrape the scalp with the comb teeth as shownin Fig. 5, he may do so, or it is, of course, possible to move theapplicator in the other direction and massage the scalp with thescraping action. The tilting of the tube and the applicator end thereofin the possible alternative positions and directions can be used toperform lifting or penetrating action with respect to the material.Obviously, the degree to which the material 15 is advanced or extrudedtoward the applicator end of the tube will determine the quantitivedelivery of the material by the comb teeth to the hair or scalp of theuser.

In a particular commercial adaptation of my invention to the specialpurpose of applying hair dressing pomade, the tube is made of relativelyflexible plastic 1%" in external diameter, 1%," in internal diameter,the beads 20 and 21 have an extreme diameter of 1%", and the slots 16are A" long. The other dimensions as shown in'the drawings areproportionate to those given, and it has been found that the cap made ofthe same material as the tube; namely, polyethylene tightly closes themargins 30 of the cap against the abutment head to prevent accidentalescape of the pomade when the cap is in closed position. Obviously mydevice is not only suited to the application of pomade to the hair, butalso may be used for other substances including medicament and thedevice may, therefore, be said to be useable for application of anytreatment material. The shape of the tube may be circular, oval, or evenrectangular as will be understood from the above description, and thearrangement of the teeth for any tubular configuration may be referredto as crown shaped.

I claim:

1. In a smoothwalled tubular device a form sustaining rod of treatmentmaterial fitted for frictional passage through the tube toward anapplicator end thereof, tube walls terminating at said applicator endwith an exterior rounded bead and slotted longitudinally of the tubewhereby'to provide comb-like teeth, said teeth having exteriorly bulbousextremities.

2. A package having side walls and a delivery end, the side walls at thedelivery end being slotted to provide comb teeth and said side wallshaving spaced annular beads projecting outwardly, one of the beads beingimmediately adjacent the ends of the comb teeth and the other adjacentbut beyond the slots, a cap having side walls interiorly grooved toprovide a cam shoulder positioned when the cap is in closed positionupon the tube to engage a rounded surface of one of the beads, said sidewall of the cap having a margin in position to abut the unslotted headwhen said shoulder is in contact with the comb teeth.

3. A tube having a spring toothed crown shaped comb margin, the outersurface of the extremities of the teeth being outwardly bulbouslyextended beyond the walls of the tube, a cap having side wallspositioned to encompass the comb shaped endof-the tube and having aninterior diameter smaller than the diameter of the said outwardextension whereby upon application of the cap upon the tube to force thecomb teeth inwardly, said cap being grooved interiorly and having ashoulder positioned to receive with cam action the outward bulbousextensions of the comb teeth as they spring into the groove.

4. A tubular housing having a crown shaped margin provided withresilient comb teeth spaced apart from one another and having outwardlyextending rounded surfaces, and a removable cover provided with acontinuous wall fitted to closely encompass the tube and receivable overand against said rounded surfaces in moving to and from closed positionwhereby to inwardly bear against the said rounded surfaces andresiliently displace said teeth, the flange of said coverbeinginteriorly annularly grooved to receive said rounded sur-, faceswith-snap action.

5. A tubular housing having .a crown shaped margin provided withresilient comb teeth spaced apart from one another and having outwardlyextending rounded References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 514,290 Symonds Feb. 6, 1894 1,439,594 Wong Dec. 19, 19222,434,505 Miller Ian..13, 1948

